Monday, March 17, 2008

Vicious Circle

Why aren't they focusing on bringing employment here? How about implementing methods of increasing revenue without taxation on Chicago residents?????

Here's a prime example of where "liberal thought" and cold harsh reality come into direct conflict. A few examples:

Daley needs money. He institutes a "head tax" on companies with over five employees or something similar - we can't recall the exact number. A large corporation that needs large amounts of semi or low skilled workers (like a factory) has an annual outlay of many more thousands of dollars that locating outside of the city or even in a foreign country

Daley needs more money. His aldercreatures pass something called a "living wage." Huge retail companies that may have established large retail outlets in the City's most impoverished and blighted communities decide not to build stores there, saving themselves millions.

Daley needs even more money. He raises taxes by damn near $300 million dollars. People start shopping in the suburbs for food, gas, and everything else, depriving the City not only of the expected revenue from the tax hike, but the previously collected taxes also.

Daley needs tons of money. He's starving for money. So he spends $59 million or so for another 200+ red light cameras. But guess what? People are learning. They are adapting their driving habits. We see it constantly. We'd love to see a graph outlining what each camera generated when it was installed compared to what it generates today. We'll bet it trends downward - heavily.

Daley is under the gun to keep the CTA afloat. We don't know why - the CTA should sink or swim on it's own without state subsidies. But the governor that Daley helped install pushes through a monstrous property tax hike...in the midst of the biggest downturn in the mortgage industry due to bad lending practices.

John Daley needs money for Todd Stroger. Lots of money. Todd has relatives that need jobs and raises and contracts and he has to hire people because "Hog Balls" Beavers needs to line his pockets since his daughter lost the opportunity to steal money as an aldercreature. So John and Todd force through a sales tax hike the likes of which has never been seen, pushing the sales tax to over 10%. That's over and above the tax hikes that have made cigarette running one of the more profitable enterprises a budding black marketeer can get into at an early age.

Not a single one of these examples is made up. And every single one of them is directly responsible for the businesses fleeing the area, shoppers buying in the suburbs and collar counties, and Indiana experiencing an economic boom that seems driven solely by Chicago consumers.

But as long as the Democrats continue to promise free money, housing and cheese to people who spend generations doing nothing but consuming oxygen in exchange for their votes, we will continue this death spiral until Chicago looks exactly like a worse version of Detroit.

The CTA money shortage always made me scratch my head. If you look around on buses and trains and CTA buildings its flooded with revenue drawing advertisement. Plus, pop machines, papers, some even have stores inside such as the midway line. Now even at bargain basement advertisement placement revenue should bring in millions. Maybe someone should investigate exactly how much connected businesses are underpaying and who is getting the kick backs for the advertising revenue.

Good job tonight by the all the officers involved in the shooting off of Ashland. Glad that all the coppers involved are going home safe, with one shithead to the hospital. Ring one up for the good guys.

thats why I will not write a mover for this organization unless the person is suspended, revoked or with a warrant. every one else gets a pass, I barely get by how about these other workin stiffs in chicago and cook county?

A Chicago Police Department internal affairs investigator wrote a memo in 2005 expressing frustration that for months his bosses had not approved a more aggressive probe of officers in the Special Operations Section, despite a growing pattern of misconduct allegations.

Police Agent Christopher Taliaferro notes in the memo that five months earlier, a colleague had sent a similar request to Assistant Deputy Supt. Debra Kirby informing her of the mounting evidence of wrongdoing, but that no action followed.

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FULL STORY ON THE TRIBUNE WEBSITE

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This comes after word was that the OCD/Prostitution indictments that were suppose to be handed down in December, were put on hold by Weis until he was in the top cop spot, to make it look like he had a hand in the indictments.

Two different unnamed police officers have confirmed that they in fact did testify before the secret grand jury in Milwaukee. Weis was also overheard talking to another exempt police member about it and related that the indictments are coming shortly.

Investigators are on the scene of a shooting involving police on the Near West Side Sunday night.About 10:20 p.m., a shooting occurred in the 1600 block of West Lake Street, according to police News Affairs Officer John Henry.Police fired shots at an "offender" on the scene, Henry said. It was unknown if shots were fired at officers.One male was taken in good condition to John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County, according to Fire Media Affairs Director Larry Langford.The man had been shot in the arm, Langford said.According to unconfirmed reports, there was a police chase near West Ogden Avenue and South Paulina Street, possibly people wanted for a robbery.

I know one way to save money make sure J-Fed wears a suit instead of a uniform (that way we pay no uniform allowance). I received an award on 13 March 2008 and I have NEWS for J-Fed, you are not nor have you ever been the police, police do not use pronouns like us and we in your speeches. I will sign this a highly decorated Detective and let you and as the FBI Chicago referred to your partner, Pat Daley and yourself the "Evil Twins" find me. So SUCK IT wanna be.

"But as long as the Democrats continue to promise free money, housing and cheese to people who spend generations doing nothing but consuming oxygen in exchange for their votes, we will continue this death spiral until Chicago looks exactly like a worse version of Detroit"

The head tax was implemented by RJD to drive certain blue collar,"working class" jobs to the burbs, by pricing them out of the city. This was his view of expanding upon Daniel Burnham's Urban Utopia,very unrealistic. When you lose your base of production or manufacturing you lose a truly real and vital component of a feasible economy.

They say that it is RACIST to call Barack HUSSEIN Obama by his real name.

They say that it is RACIST to question his religious beliefs.

They say that it is RACIST to question Jeremiah Wright's RACIST ministry. Sadly,but true,this filth WAS ONCE a US Marine. Semper Fidelis!!!

They say that Obama is the second African American Black man to run for the US Presidency.

I say FUCK YOU!!!

I am Caucasian and PROUD!!!

I voted for an African American for President(2nd) before and would proudly support a TRUE CONSERVATIVE AFRICAN AMERICAN again. His name was Dr. Alan Keyes,he was ignored and condemned as a LUNATIC by the LEFT and by Afican Americans. He ran unsuccesfully in Illinois for the US Senate but he did receive my vote. AM I A RACIST???

It's already like Detroit, only we have people still living here. This city breeds the criminal element and feeds us lies.

I have never struggled unto I moved back home [here]. Illinois is a ghetto. Severely neglected in all aspects. When United Airlines HQ threatened to pull out of here, I sent Daley a fax to give them a tax break if they continue to employ "x" amount of Chicagoans for "x" amount of time. It's common business sense.

Even the police dept. feeds us crap. This weeks Newshound has Ofc. Mirabelli stating how 'CAPS' works when (2) people removed an orange cone from a deep hole on 55th st & someone reported it. how the hell is that CAPS?

Where si CAPS in my neighborhood when cars almost plow us pedestrians down @ 63rd & Central, 63rd & Austin? How about the gang bangers shooting people and robbing businesses? CAPS does not work, cops heavily armed on the streets does the job.

How about the man that works for Madigan/Olivio? Every year, telling me who to vote for? This year I asked him who he works for... he tells me that if I ever have a loved one with a questionable loss, to call him @ the ME's office as he hands me his card. Then he also tells me he does genealogy. wtf?

I cannot wait to save up to buy a camcorder and film/upload all that goes on in our city...

i am fortunate enough to live on the edge of chicago and I don't even buy groceries in this city let alone expensive goods, like my ipod my new computer and my 65 inch flat screen. and when i get ready to buy my new car it won't be in cook county

I can just see it now! Task forces of clout heavy cops doing roadblocks on the Indiana border.Searching for guns, dope, even fireworks? No,looking for foreignbought groceries! Fines, even jailfor starving families.Now you know why the crime family wants everyone disarmed.

Vote early and often and keep the corruption going!!!In Chicago it is one party rule just like any other totalitarian state like Russia or Saddam in Iraq. We are stupid and ignorant to think tht these low lifes that represent us will do anything for Us. It is all about them!! Just wait to see what they do with the aniversary of the Iraq War. A war in which none of them have served. Or stupid things like the water tax or about elephant treatment in zoos.WE COPS NEED TO VOTE IN A BLOCK!! POWER IN NUMBERS!! Vote the bums out!

"But as long as the Democrats continue to promise free money, housing and cheese to people who spend generations doing nothing but consuming oxygen in exchange for their votes, we will continue this death spiral until Chicago looks exactly like a worse version of Detroit."---

Hey, don't worry about the government giving out free cheese. Worry, a whole lot, about government bailouts of giant investment banks such as Bear Stearns. That firm was bought over the weekend for $2 a share, and that included it's towering building in Manhattan. Bear Stearns stock was trading at $170 just last year.

This has the potential to be the start of a global financial meltdown, Hold on to your seats folks. WE might be in line for "free money, housing and cheese" if the financial picture continues to deteriorate.

Forget about a pay raise or a retro check if the money continues to free fall. Demand instead that we get paid in Euros.

a note to lil dick, toddler and blago. I just spent $4.000. on furniture. Purchased in in LOmbard/Dupage County, where the tax is 7.25%. So I saved $98.54 in taxes. True I spent it where I dont live but, why not its my money. All you 3 idiots do is spend and tax us to death. You are chasing us out of the city and county to make purchases. So keep a taxing and spending and we will shop where it is cheaper. I also just changed my address from the city to a relative in will county on my cell phone so we don't have to pay the extra surcharges "lil rich and toddler" impose on each phone line. Keep electing tax and spend democrats

DALEY BLAG AND TODD, F-CKYOU. MY FATHER LIVES IN NAPERVILLE,ILL SALES TAX 7%. MY CAR IS REGISTERED JOINTLY UNDER HIS NAME. THE CAR INSURANCE IS REGISTERED IN NAPERVILLE. WHEN I VISIT HIM ONCE A WEEK , I FILL UP IN NAPERVILLE, I BUY MY GROCERIES IN NAPERVILLE, AND I ALSO BOUGHT NEW FURNITURE AT THE BEDDING EXPERTS ON RT59 IN NAPERVILLE, SIMPLE ECONOMICS I SAVE ALLOT OF MONEY SO RICH KEEP RAISING THOSE TAXES AND RT59 HERE I COME.

The truth is finally out. White shirts knew of the court deviations, CR#'s and other violations in SOS. But they choose to ignore them for the high number of illegal arrests and guns recovered. IAD was aware of it in 2005. Cline quietly pushed it under the rug. The excuse, I was not aware of it is bullshit. The time will come soon, and those white shirts will pay for ignorance. Many will pay for the lack of discipline by Cline and his crew.

Chicago DOES look like detroit... my street has the potholes to prove it!

-----------------------------------Not just the potholes...take a drive around what were once considered stable neighborhoods. You'll see a lot more houses boarded up. We all know what kind of activity that will attract.

The ones that don't sell will be Section "8-ed" out, thus effectively causing the neighborhoods to deteriorate further.

This 'housing situation' will result in a flight to the suburbs. Besides, who in the hell would want to live in a city where the mayor's next move will be to tax the air we breathe??!!

Unfortunately, my spouse and I are trapped here. Either pay us more or lower you're housing prices, you greedy bastards!! But no, I'm sure that most of you will sink with the ship. After all, your crappy ranch on the NW side really is worth $400,000 plus!

The highest taxed citizens in the country are losing not only their homes in forclosures, but also the jobs are about to plummet.

Coppers in defferred comp are losing money aside from the taxes that increase around them without cost of living increases. They are going to lose their health benefits 2013, and are paying almost $4.00 for a gallon of gas.They are captive here as well and can't leave the city.

Social Security if going broke except for illegals and 'poor"???

Pension funds, the ones that aren't being stolen blind by administrations like this one, will be in flux. Drained of cash.

Yet here sits J-fed on a pile of cash facing the ugly face of summer crime. He's not the police. Watch his flee or fight stance.

He's building a phalanx of sissies, wimps and silver spooned leaders for the most part, but not all. Smoke and mirrors like the wizzard of oz.

He's going to count on the blue shirts to follow because of his threats, example???, and gall.

too bad.In a city with no real jobs other than construction related and those in massive decline, and paper jobs in the high rise towers falling while watching banks and financial institutions like Bear Stearns going under. How long can it be before the Tower dwellers begin to default their rents and mortgages?

Interesting article on Kirby....Perhaps they should get around to talking to current and former IAD personnel. I'm pretty certain they can show how the Department "picks and chooses." I know of several wasted investigations on nothing while the real criminals walked.........

I can't recall the last time I baught anything in Chicago. When I visit my family in Dupage on my day's off, that's when I buy my groceries, cloths, etc; etc. Chicago is going to become a Detroit with-in 10 years people. If Osama is elected as president, we all might as well throw in the towel. America will be ruined, but being he is part of the Chicago machine, we will suffer BIG TIME. These mutts on the south and west side will never have to even worry about ever going to work in their lives again. Taxes will be so out of hand, this country will be worse than the Jimmy Carter era with high recession, interest rates, taxes, etc; etc. My advice to fight back is continue to shop out of the city and the county if possible. Go to the movies and restaurants in the suburbs, they are just as nice and you don't have "dukey" begging you for a dollar when you walk out the front door. Also, please stop writing tickets and impounding cars if possible. Do what is required of you as a police officer. Lock up a robber, burglarer, or drug dealer standing on the corner, the city makes no money off those types of arrests. Finally, for those young enough and able too, LEAVE CHICAGO. The suburbs although still in Illinois, treat their officers a hundred times better. Better shifts, high morale, a lot have better pay and benefits, great public schools to send your kids. If you really can swing it, go to a "RED" state to be the police where law and order and support of the police are a priority unlike Illinois. Let Chicago continue to hire the mutts and gangbangers from the "churches" that they recruit at, and they will get what they ask for. I use to love being a Chicago cop, but this administration makes it a miserable job anymore.

Keep picking on all the former Commanders of SOS (Dugan, Tobias, Darling, et al.) I'll put money that many beefs against their personnel never got out of IAD. Rowan and Kirby controlled the complaints and are directly connected to the 5th floor.

G.W. Bush owns this economy His administration ran it into the gutter. What a moron. He spends 2 billion a month in Iraq for nothing but lies of Freedom yet Communist China lends the USA 2 Billion a day. yes COMMUNIST CHINA boys and girls yet Bush and company will allow our American boys and girls to die for What????????

"But as long as the Democrats continue to promise free money, housing and cheese to people who spend generations doing nothing but consuming oxygen in exchange for their votes, we will continue this death spiral until Chicago looks exactly like a worse version of Detroit"

You sir are nuts the corporate world receives more hand outs then all the money lumped together for social programs. Corporate world would be Oil, gas, coal,farming, insurance allowing Illegals or so called workers to cut wages the list goes on and on. Bill Gates along with others say the taxes they pay are about 5% of their income you sir pay between 25% to 33% of your income. Cry me a river for the rich.

Anonymous said... Looks like Pretty Woman Debra Kirby is under the hotseat, media wise. The truth is finally out. White shirts knew of the court deviations, CR#'s and other violations in SOS. But they choose to ignore them for the high number of illegal arrests and guns recovered. IAD was aware of it in 2005. Cline quietly pushed it under the rug. The excuse, I was not aware of it is bullshit. The time will come soon, and those white shirts will pay for ignorance. Many will pay for the lack of discipline by Cline and his crew.

In an ideal world white-shirts would suffer the same consequences as PO's.

Thanks to the city government, this city once known as a Fine City is now known to be the the City that Fines. They tax everything, water, fuel, housing, entertainment and whatever else they think they can squeeze money from. The big lesson will be learned when it's too late. It will be learned after the City is bankrupt and after everyone that can move out of the city achieve living outside of the Crook County property. Then the powers that be will say "uh basicky we did sumthin wrong, eveebudy's gone, who's gonna pay the taxes?" I say teach the city a lesson!!! This city is too far gone, anyway. Make all of your purchases out side of the city limits and if possible go to the surrounding counties. Don't go to those convienent stores while on duty. (and off duty) Hit them where it hurts. Gas is a little cheaper in the burbs and Indiana. Shop online! Bring food and beverages to work! These are some of my ideas. Even if half of us start doing this, it should have an impact some where.

I'll defend this Lt. You must be a bigot or the type that loves old school garbage, that women, only move up with sex. From what I know she backs her officers up. They're a few people in 024 that hate her and they hit this blog. People hate her and talk a lot of shit, but I don't see why.

This blog is one sided, sometimes you need both angles.

3/17/2008 01:24:00 AM

ask lt. schloss how many times, she sued the city. then ask her how many times she was a "merit promotion". The last time she sued, it was to get out of 15, where maurer told her that "her carrer would die there." talk about angles!

I can't recall the last time I baught anything in Chicago. When I visit my family in Dupage on my day's off, that's when I buy my groceries, cloths, etc; etc. Chicago is going to become a Detroit with-in 10 years people. If Osama is elected as president, we all might as well throw in the towel. America will be ruined, but being he is part of the Chicago machine, we will suffer BIG TIME.

Get a grip! The same thing was said about Harold Washington...if he becomes Mayor blah! blah! If you don't like Obama, don't vote for him for what ever your reasons might be....don't lie to youeself and others by flinging untrues

anonymous said...i am fortunate enough to live on the edge of chicago and I don't even buy groceries in this city let alone expensive goods, like my ipod my new computer and my 65 inch flat screen. and when i get ready to buy my new car it won't be in cook county

3/17/2008 06:01:00 AM

Close, but no cigar... it does not matter where you purchase a new car... you will still pay tax based on where you LIVE, not where you pruchase a car. Aint life grand!

Daley needs tons of money. He's starving for money. So he spends $59 million or so for another 200+ red light cameras. But guess what? People are learning. They are adapting their driving habits. We see it constantly. We'd love to see a graph outlining what each camera generated when it was installed compared to what it generates today. We'll bet it trends downward - heavily.

Bingo. I have wondered the same thing. There is one at 87th and Vincennes. At first the thing flashed so often, I thought the paparazzi were on a stakeout. Not, I seldom see anybody busted by that light. Folks get wise.

bitch and complain all you want about this job but things could be worse. the next time you are on the way to work in your 40,000 bmw when its 30 below take a good look at the guy busting up the street and digging a hole. all we have to do is show up, go to roll call and hit the car. chase down your jobs, write a few bananas, and watch each others asses. you took this job so make the best of it. going to the suburbs to spend is a good idea. take the kids and show them some nice areas and plant it into their head that this where the future is for them, not in chicago.

Even the police dept. feeds us crap. This weeks Newshound has Ofc. Mirabelli stating how 'CAPS' works when (2) people removed an orange cone from a deep hole on 55th st & someone reported it. how the hell is that CAPS?

To reply to above statement thatw as cpd officer off duty who spotted this and had the 2 idiots arrested caps yea fuck you!

Some spirit must have possessed the sole of Mary Mitchell today. I could not believe that she actually wrote an outstanding column that was right on the point.

3/17/2008 08:28:00 AM

I'm sure it's in order to suck Barack and Michelle's ass some more. After all, she's following them around campaigning and with Rev Wright as a liability and O'Reilly calling her the worst racist journalist in the country maybe she's trying to up her game so it's doesn't reflect poorly on Rezko's boy.

"You sir are nuts the corporate world receives more hand outs then all the money lumped together for social programs. Corporate world would be Oil, gas, coal,farming, insurance allowing Illegals or so called workers to cut wages the list goes on and on. Bill Gates along with others say the taxes they pay are about 5% of their income you sir pay between 25% to 33% of your income. Cry me a river for the rich."

3/17/2008 10:36:00 AM_________________

You sir, appear to have no knowledge of the economy.

The rich and corporations of this country pay more taxes, generate more revenue, hire more Americans (which in turn creates spending and tax revenue, not to mention that people who WORK contribute something more to society than squirting out as many babies as possible) and do more good for this country than any piss pants Jackson ever could. Corporations are not the ones placing a burden on the economy, endangering the lives of everyone around them and bankrupting government services.

Cry me a river for the poor. The rich became rich because of hard work and perseverance. The only hard work I see coming from the burdens of society is getting out of bed long enough to buy a rock or get knocked up again. I'm middle class because I work, I don't get arrested, I don't break the laws, and I don't cost the government more than I contribute.

The top 1% of the richest people pay a majority of the income tax collected by the IRS. The middle class pay the rest and the poor pay about 3%.

Not to be pickyoon SCC but you forgot Chicago's Parking Caculus Parking Tax. You know the revenue that is generated by the city when motorists that are not familiar with Chicago's sinage square dance where a parking meter has a sticker stating certian hours of paid parking and below that it says "Unless Posted Otherwise". This city rips off zillions of people, visitors or newbies, that don't know about this rip-off and make it there business to walk a block in either direction of the parking meter to be sure there is not some other sign (often obstructed by some plant in little Dick's city beautification scam) saying "No Parking between such and such hours on a Friday the thirteenth, during a Full Moon on Tues., Thurs. & the middle six hours of the day on Sundays on odd numbered months.

I have never seen anything like that any where to the degree this city does it. It wasn't so long ago that the parking meter sticker didn't even say "Unless Otherwise Posted". That shit alone tells you the people that run this city are crooks! Then there is the fine for an expired meter. $50 or $60?? Give me a break. I'm curious. Are there any old bull coppers out there who remember what an expired meter parking fine was in the sixties or seventies? I wonder how much more it is now over and above where it should be today adjusted for inflation.

Daley is under the gun to keep the CTA afloat. We don't know why - the CTA should sink or swim on it's own without state subsidies. But the governor that Daley helped install pushes through a monstrous property tax hike...in the midst of the biggest downturn in the mortgage industry due to bad lending practices.--

Expect the CTA to have more "doomsday" financial problems. The Shity leaders are SO GODAMN STUPID. The try to fund the CTA by increasing a tax on real estate TRANSFERS.

HELLLO???? The housing boom has gone bust. RE sales are DOWN. Big time. Besides asking prices are tooooo high. If no one can buy or sell a house THERE WILL BE NO TRANSFERS TO TAX!!!!!

DALEY BLAG AND TODD, F-CKYOU. MY FATHER LIVES IN NAPERVILLE,ILL SALES TAX 7%. MY CAR IS REGISTERED JOINTLY UNDER HIS NAME. THE CAR INSURANCE IS REGISTERED IN NAPERVILLE. WHEN I VISIT HIM ONCE A WEEK , I FILL UP IN NAPERVILLE, I BUY MY GROCERIES IN NAPERVILLE, AND I ALSO BOUGHT NEW FURNITURE AT THE BEDDING EXPERTS ON RT59 IN NAPERVILLE, SIMPLE ECONOMICS I SAVE ALLOT OF MONEY SO RICH KEEP RAISING THOSE TAXES AND RT59 HERE I COME.

3/17/2008 08:55:00 AM

Just don't get into an accident. The insurance company may not cover you and may question why you live in Chicago and the car is registered in another city. They know people do this for cheaper policies.

You sir are nuts the corporate world receives more hand outs then all the money lumped together for social programs. Corporate world would be Oil, gas, coal,farming, insurance allowing Illegals or so called workers to cut wages the list goes on and on. Bill Gates along with others say the taxes they pay are about 5% of their income you sir pay between 25% to 33% of your income. Cry me a river for the rich.

3/17/2008 10:36:00 AM

More gutter economics. And what, please tell me, did the Democrats do during the Clinton years to halt hiring of illegals? Not a thing! And the Republicans did the same - nothing! However, SCC is correct - the Democrats reward laziness, babymaking, and criminal behavior. The Republicans do not.

Who creates jobs? Investors and corporations, big and small. Politicians and the government do not create jobs or wealth. So when you tax the rich, this is more money that is going to a non-job-creating hole.

And where is all that tax money going?

Tell me, when you see the line outside Duke's Liquors twice a month, what are those physically fit men and women doing? Cashing the checks written by the Dems and paid for with taxes! And who are the dogs out all night shooting and drinking, then going home at 5 AM to kick baby's mommy 'cause she won't let him fluff her bunny? More products of the Dem welfare state.

Bash corporations all you want, but they create jobs, and the illegals come here to work those jobs because the Dem Welfare Workers got to sleep all day and go out drinkin' all night. So they know who to vote for all right.

Until the CTA is run like business and not like the charity it is we will continue to see it go in the crapper.As far as Cook County and Stroger, don’t even get me going…Between the gross mismanagement, patronage jobs and no accountability it’s a joke! I buy as much as I can out of the city / county that I can and I don’t care how far I have to drive to do it. I refuse to line their purses anymore and wish more people would do the same instead of curling up in the fetal position and taking it.

"He's starving for money. So he spends $59 million or so for another 200+ red light cameras. But guess what? People are learning. They are adapting their driving habits. We see it constantly. We'd love to see a graph outlining what each camera generated when it was installed compared to what it generates today. We'll bet it trends downward - heavily."

He's always starving for more money and power. When he wants more money, he will order that the yellow lights be shortened even more. Already, I see people slamming on their breaks and almost causing accidents when they know "Big Brother" is watching and hungry.

Regardless of how good you think you are and how good your Unit is, SOS brought in so many guns we had a shopping cart at Homan Square to cart them in; SOS was given Carte-blance to get guns even if it meant kicking in doors and cuffing people while they were in bed. As long as the bosses could tout their gun grabbing numbers at the Doc meating, all else was overlooked. Now those bosses are retired, buried in spots, or selling their H.D.'s for retainers.

"Hey, don't worry about the government giving out free cheese. Worry, a whole lot, about government bailouts of giant investment banks such as Bear Stearns. That firm was bought over the weekend for $2 a share, and that included it's towering building in Manhattan. Bear Stearns stock was trading at $170 just last year. "

And what BILLION$$$$$, did Bear $$$tern$$$ exec$$$ get in $$$alarie$$$, Perk$$$$$, bonu$$$$$$ and golden parachute$$$$$!?!?

That's what happens when you are rich enough to contribute to both the Republican and Democrats.

"But as long as the Democrats continue to promise free money, housing and cheese to people who spend generations doing nothing but consuming oxygen in exchange for their votes, we will continue this death spiral until Chicago looks exactly like a worse version of Detroit"

You sir are nuts the corporate world receives more hand outs then all the money lumped together for social programs. Corporate world would be Oil, gas, coal,farming, insurance allowing Illegals or so called workers to cut wages the list goes on and on. Bill Gates along with others say the taxes they pay are about 5% of their income you sir pay between 25% to 33% of your income. Cry me a river for the rich.

Yes they also get away with a lot. But somewhere down the line, someone created the business that put them where they are. They created their fortune (THEY WORKED TO GET WHAT THEY HAVE: NO ONE HANDS IT TO THEM), thus providing jobs, moves the economy along etc. etc.

Now take the oxygen thief who creates nothing but more oxygen thieves, which comes out of my pocket. Also, what a bad example...Bill Gates gives more money to the oxygen thieves and democrats and supports democrats than anyone else.

G.W. Bush owns this economy His administration ran it into the gutter. What a moron. He spends 2 billion a month in Iraq for nothing but lies of Freedom yet Communist China lends the USA 2 Billion a day. yes COMMUNIST CHINA boys and girls yet Bush and company will allow our American boys and girls to die for What????????

And what have the Democrats done with the State of Illinois, County of Cook & City of Chicago! Steal every damn dime they can and create one social program after another for people who are to lazy to get off there ass and be a productive citizen. How do you continue to create more and more political positions (BIGGER GOVERNMENT...MORE STEALING... ITS THE DEMOCRAT WAY) Tell how does a city get 300 to 400 million dollars in the hole, and when does your Mayor's people start to realize that during the year. Your County is 600 million in the whole, when did they realize that!

Do you ever drive in another state or city (Example: The roads are perfect). We are 900 million in the whole and cant drive a block without falling into a pothole. Plus we pay tolls for our highways, which suck. Where is the money going?

Lies of freedom! If the democrats would of rid us of Bin Laden when Clinton was in office, and when he had the chance, we would of never been under attack on Sept. 11th. Nothing has happened in this country since Sept. 11th because of Bush. Put a Democrat in office again and we'll be hit again guaranteed.

No SCC, the rich try to control things at the expense of the workers. Bush could care less about the workers.

3/17/2008 03:55:00 PM

You tell em Commrade! Um, Let's see...... I keep searching World History Books in search of ANY Government that followed the Communist or Socialist ideology that ACTUALLY WORKED and didn't in fact wind up at best oppressing it's people or at worst MASSACRING THEM

Don't be down too much on Deb. She is like most bosses on this job following the course of the wind as directed from above. She is an attractive and a smart women. Why she took the general corp job? I don't get it. I think she would be better off starting her own law firm defending police officers.

No SCC, the rich try to control things at the expense of the workers. Bush could care less about the workers.********************************

Oh, and Daley isn't rich? Blago isn't rich? What about John Kerry? They're all rich and could care less about you and me. Why isn't anyone asking how Daley's kid was able to make over a million with the city when the city is so broke???Why has this story evaporated???

And common sense, corporations mean jobs. Sure it stinks when companies get bail out and CEO's get dumped with their golden parachutes but the corporations are still what keeps this economy moving. For all you anti-gun nuts, this is what the second amendment is all about. They are stealing us blind, they are corrupt beyond comprehension, they even steal elections (both sides)...When does the common man say enough is enough?????

Off Topic: I know like most coppers that the same B.S. is alive and well, lateral commander moves, ignorant inspectors, and the list goes on and on. However, I have found one of life's little distractions. It's called Reptile Fest. It's a big show that has alligators, snakes, turtles, lizards and even a tortoise that the kids can ride on. It's on April 12th-13th at UIC. Every year I take the kids and we always have a great time. Here is the link and you can even download a coupon.

This comes after word was that the OCD/Prostitution indictments that were suppose to be handed down in December, were put on hold by Weis until he was in the top cop spot, to make it look like he had a hand in the indictments.

Two different unnamed police officers have confirmed that they in fact did testify before the secret grand jury in Milwaukee. Weis was also overheard talking to another exempt police member about it and related that the indictments are coming shortly.

3/17/2008 01:54:00 AM

Sounds like somebody got dumped from Vice and is upset now. When is that rumor going to be put to rest?

SCC your crystal ball must be working. Today, 17 Mar 08 on a radio program a story about Dallas, Tx and the red lite cam program in that city. Cameras run about 3500 a month each and Dallas projected about a $16 million dollar revenue stream which has been budgeted, and spent in some depts, but red lite cams are now only producing about 8 million a year in revenue since drivers got smart and now stop. Dallas is in a quandry because the cams work, but revenue is down. Officials are now contemplating shutting down many cams to save money and hope that relaxing the rules will mean more violators and more $$$$ in fines. So it seems that this kind of program is not about safety of pedestrians and the motoring public it's about cash.....does this sound familiar???

This comes after word was that the OCD/Prostitution indictments that were suppose to be handed down in December, were put on hold by Weis until he was in the top cop spot, to make it look like he had a hand in the indictments.

Two different unnamed police officers have confirmed that they in fact did testify before the secret grand jury in Milwaukee. Weis was also overheard talking to another exempt police member about it and related that the indictments are coming shortly.

DALEY BLAG AND TODD, F-CKYOU. MY FATHER LIVES IN NAPERVILLE,ILL SALES TAX 7%. MY CAR IS REGISTERED JOINTLY UNDER HIS NAME. THE CAR INSURANCE IS REGISTERED IN NAPERVILLE. WHEN I VISIT HIM ONCE A WEEK , I FILL UP IN NAPERVILLE, I BUY MY GROCERIES IN NAPERVILLE, AND I ALSO BOUGHT NEW FURNITURE AT THE BEDDING EXPERTS ON RT59 IN NAPERVILLE, SIMPLE ECONOMICS I SAVE ALLOT OF MONEY SO RICH KEEP RAISING THOSE TAXES AND RT59 HERE I COME.

3/17/2008 08:55:00 AM

Just don't get into an accident. The insurance company may not cover you and may question why you live in Chicago and the car is registered in another city. They know people do this for cheaper policies.

3/17/2008 12:45:00 PM

The insurance companies let people do this because they know you'll pay your premium, but when you crush that Lexus and the driver on your way home, a sudden investigation will release them from your insurance contract.

More Republican propaganda. The nation's economy is going down the toilet these days and you write garbage about goofy Daley and Blago, two big crooks.

No SCC, the rich try to control things at the expense of the workers. Bush could care less about the workers.

3/17/2008 03:55:00 PM

------------------------The nation's economy is going down because the Democratically controlled House and Senate passed laws weakening borrowing standards for first-time-low-income home buyers. These buyers had horrible credit, so they bought homes under ridiculous loans gambling that their home value would skyrocket. It didn't. They lost. Surprise! They aren't going to pay their mortgage.

Meanwhile, the entire nation is purchasing things they don't need with a credit card backed by money they don't have.

As the investment banks lose on bad mortgage investments, they will have no choice but to raise the rates on credit card purchases.

People buy less stuff. Less stuff gets made. Jobs lost. Recession.

The damage to the economy really isn't the fault of the government at all. Its the fault of the fools who bought stuff they couldn't afford and the banks that let them do it.

Want to beat the county tax on the car? 1. Go to Indiana and purchase the vehicle. 2. Get a 90 temp tag from Indiana registering the vehicle there first. 3. Register the vehicle here after the tag expires. 4. Appearantly if you own the vehicle out of State for 90 days before registering it in Illinois you beat the tax. 5. But you have to register it out of state for the first 90 days.

Iam not, sure but I believe that is the way the system is beat by all those Indiana temp tags you see driving around Chicago occupied by gang bangers that have suspended D.L.'s. Indiana is making a killing on those tags that you can't run on the PDT.

ask lt. schloss how many times, she sued the city. then ask her how many times she was a "merit promotion". The last time she sued, it was to get out of 15, where maurer told her that "her carrer would die there." talk about angles!

Cry me a river for the poor. The rich became rich because of hard work and perseverance. The only hard work I see coming from the burdens of society

You Sir are a Mental midget. No one said that the poor pay the taxes. I said the middle class pay the taxes again between 25% to 33% of their income, I myself payed 28% all counted at the end of the year. My nephew who is a officer in the cooperate world(KPMG)makes over 750 thousand Yet he himself says the tax system is unfair to the middle class he payed less then 10% of his income to the government tax system so get it right. The USA gives handouts to the corporate world. Ask the oil companies about government handout. whores all of them . US taxpayer is going to help out Bear&Stearns yet all the board members and ceo's will walk away with big packages they get to keep their big bucks. Try and twist the truth. Goof

bitch and complain all you want about this job but things could be worse. the next time you are on the way to work in your 40,000 bmw when its 30 below take a good look at the guy busting up the street and digging a hole. all we have to do is show up, go to roll call and hit the car. chase down your jobs, write a few bananas, and watch each others asses. you took this job so make the best of it. going to the suburbs to spend is a good idea. take the kids and show them some nice areas and plant it into their head that this where the future is for them, not in chicago.

really a 40,000 bmw, and I drive a 15 year old beater. you must be the hardest working cop out there, or the dirtiest most in debt idiot. you are right there is no future in chicago

Lies of freedom! If the democrats would of rid us of Bin Laden when Clinton was in office, and when he had the chance, we would of never been under attack on Sept. 11th. Nothing has happened in this country since Sept. 11th because of Bush. Put a Democrat in office again and we'll be hit again guaranteed.

First off little man I'm an independent. Yet you are a fool Get this through your little coconut IRAQ did NOT attack the USA Bush got us into a two Billion dollar a month war, because he lied to the American people weapons of mass destruction. our men and woman killed or maimed in HIS unnecessary war so that big business can profit.however our economy is tanking. Think for yourself or go live in communist China better yet stay here as they own us.

7:41 PM If you paid 28%, you are a moron. I just finished my taxes. My AGI was 186,000. My effective tax rate was 16.7%. Either you don't understand the tax system or you don't know what you are doing. So until you get out from in front of your 52 inch TV and take a tax class or two, quit posting stupid bullshit. The more you write, the more you embarass yourself.

expired meter. $50 or $60?? Give me a break. I'm curious. Are there any old bull coppers out there who remember what an expired meter parking fine was in the sixties or seventies? I wonder how much more it is now over and above where it should be today adjusted for inflation==================================

Bear Sterns was bailed out by another investment bank NOT the U.S. tax payer.

It will be the investor's who will bear the burden. Stock was as high as $170.00 a share last year, was about $30.00 last Friday and now is worth about $2.00 a share. The other bank gave it a big cash infusion to help them over the liquidity crises.

But I know it fits your anti-big business mind set to say the tax payer will have to bail them out!

Check out the latest in the Trib about Kirby. The Trib questions were appointment today, and Daley himself is defending her tonight. WTF? Daley says Kirby is a very good attorney. Really? How the hell does Dick know that!?!?! Has Deb Kirby actually ever worked one day as an attorney in her entire life? Doubt it. J-Fed is losing an awful lot of credibility on this one. Why doesn't HE explain the appointment and answer the questions?

As a previous poster eloquently stated: Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.

you wanna talk about vicious circles you should of seen sgt. tim, sgt. roy, donny & rudy sitting around LT. carroll's desk when he related he was no longer a commander. the four of them chased each other to the door to meet the new commander in the parkng lot. can we park your car? can we carry in your boxes? can we laugh at your bad jokes? can we call you at home to rat out other police officers? can we push your stool in? grown men with no pride! so sad.

Are there any old bull coppers out there who remember what an expired meter parking fine was in the sixties or seventies? I wonder how much more it is now over and above where it should be today adjusted for inflation.

Respectfully,DW(not a cop)

-------------------------------------

DW, I've only got 19 years on but I can tell you that the fine for expired meter just 6 years ago was $25.00.

for those planning to purchase a vehicle (car, motorcycle, boat ect.) when you go to register it, go to a currency exchange and look into it. many currency exchanges are not set up to collect county and/or city tax fees. the chances of it going by unnoticed are great. if it is caught then you pay it anyway. might as roll the dice.

7:41 PM If you paid 28%, you are a moron. I just finished my taxes. My AGI was 186,000. My effective tax rate was 16.7%. Either you don't understand the tax system or you don't know what you are doing. So until you get out from in front of your 52 inch TV and take a tax class or two, quit posting stupid bullshit. The more you write, the more you embarass yourself.

Well mister you must live in a rat hole has I did indeed pay out 28% of my income for all understand all taxes maybe you can't read. My house taxes are 6,250.00 I live on the north side. I did not say I payed out 28% only to the IRS. Maybe you might want to total up your own taxes for the year. maybe I can help you here is a small list. Housing, water, phone, clothing,auto, liquor, I could continue (Do you get it) that would included all taxes every penny you know the ones on the receipt from the food store. Hello

I don't know about tourists spending downtown. I was in Macys on State 2 weekends ago and it was a ghost town. You could have thrown a smokebomb in there and no one would have seen it. I wanted a shopping bag. Sorry, we haven't had 'em since christmas. No wonder no one's in here, I said, then left and went to Borders. Fuck Macys and J-fedbedhead!!

"3)Now Im wondering how many taxes we pay indirectly to Daley everyday unknowingly? Our monthly utilities all have at least 1 city tax attached to them.

3/17/2008 09:25:00 PM"

A ballpark estimate is that the average middle class income earner nets less than half of their yearly gross earnings, after paying the variety of taxes imposed by every government taxing body, city, county, state and federal.

Income tax, sales tax, utility tax, FICA tax, licenses, permits, transfer tax, property tax, taxes on taxes, etc., it all adds up to having less than half of what one earns to actually determine what you spend it on.

So, when you think you're making, say, 50k a year, you're really only getting the value of 25k.

You won't actually be working for yourself for another 3 months or so.

Anonymous said... Bear Sterns was bailed out by another investment bank NOT the U.S. tax payer. --

You are wrong. The Federal Reserve (US Tax Payers) gave JP Morgan Chase a $30 Billion "loan" to prop up BSC. The Fed (tax payers) "lent" JPMC $30B clean dollars and JPMC can and will give the Fed (tax payers) $30B of mortgage backed securities (toxic subprime loans they are stuck with and cannot find a real value to) back the Fed (tax payers). JPMC then bought BSC for $236 million after it fell.

Americans simply don't have enough money to pay back the mortgage and credit-card debt they've run up. That reality is forcing banks to retrench as loans gone bad shrink their capital bases and falling house prices shrink the collateral that homeowners can borrow against. And it will presumably force chastened consumers to change their ways as well. At least that's what Rosenberg is predicting. "It's an entirely new attitude toward debt," he says. "It is the new four-letter word."

Bear Stearns was bailed out by Chase. Bear S was really bailed out by the government who quickly gave Chase an emergency low interest loan to make the purchase. Bears S was about to implode and the recession that we are not in, would then be revealed as the depression that it is. There has been established a fund now of short-term, low interest loans for banks that are in t rouble due to defaulted mortgages and bad credit. If you aren't holding a ton of credit card debt you should be OK. The last thing you want is the residency lifted, right now anyway. Wait til u get rid of Daley, elect SCC and this recession/depression is over. Experts predict 16/24 months. Terry Savage is not the only financial analyst who says the middle class pays the lion's share of all(city,state, and federal) taxes. All of them do, it's just a fact, as in: CPD patrol officer's shirts are blue. It wouldn't be a bad idea to get your money out of deferred comp. Real Estate is a buyers market right now. You can go an hour or two away and purchase acres and acres of land with ponds, houses, streams, etc. or there are Condos that you buy in tourist areas and rent out weekly or monthly. (agency's do all the work for you) They're tax deductible(rental)and it's a tangible, in times like these it's good to be able to know what you have in terms of finances. There are deals but you have to shop around. Use a reputible real estate lawyer when you find something, it's worth the money. Thats really telling Daley to stick it. Don't let him play with your deferred comp. I've invested in real estate for 24 years carefully, methodically, slowly. Always in places that I felt were about to get good, near the lake or some nice feature, and I did as well or better than my friends who stuck with Def C, and I didn't have the anxiety.

Why come to Chicago to start a business and hired Chicagoans? I can't think any of reason why. Most unemployed persons don't want those jobs anyway except for illegals. Daley and his council have a bad habit of running factory workers out of this town. Ah yes but those real estate developers make great campaign donations.

First off little man I'm an independent. Yet you are a fool Get this through your little coconut IRAQ did NOT attack the USA Bush got us into a two Billion dollar a month war, because he lied to the American people weapons of mass destruction. our men and woman killed or maimed in HIS unnecessary war so that big business can profit.however our economy is tanking. Think for yourself or go live in communist China better yet stay here as they own us.

Please, then every democratic Leader lied too,. because they are all on tape saying the very same thing Bush said, as well as leaders of other countries, they defintiely had them! they were all moved to his buddy over in Syria. Please stop the blood for oil bullshit too will ya, it's way overdrawn already, if we were paying 1.00 a gallon i'd buy the argument, not when it has done nothing but go up since the war started; blame the holders of the oil reserves who choose to hold back production so the price stays high, they know the well is going to run dry and they are going to bleed every last penny from that treasure trough.

look, most of us only have ourselves to blame. YOU VOTED THESE ASSHOLES INTO OFFICE!!!!! Persoanlly, I think the voting machines are rigged. I don't know a single person who voted for Blago or Stroger. In the next election, people need to come up with a decent person to vote for. If Daley wins again, we did it to ourselves. We can always demand a recall. How do think Ah-nold became Govenator. No one has the nerve to stand up, therefore we suffer until someone does, or collectively we can do something.

Anonymous said... you wanna talk about vicious circles you should of seen sgt. tim, sgt. roy, donny & rudy sitting around LT. carroll's desk when he related he was no longer a commander. the four of them chased each other to the door to meet the new commander in the parkng lot. can we park your car? can we carry in your boxes? can we laugh at your bad jokes? can we call you at home to rat out other police officers? can we push your stool in? grown men with no pride! so sad.

3/17/2008 09:56:00 PM

The Commander comes in but strangely he is not a fan of Sgt eBay Roy at all! Wonder why? Could it be he knows what he has been doing all this time?

BTW, That real estate I invested in? None of it was in Illinois. I pay extra tax now, as an out of state resident but it's tax deductible because they're rentals and the taxes are packaged with the mortgage payment. When I retire and move there, the taxes will reduce significantly. So once I retire I'll have a pension, a home, a few rentals and whatever pittance I can get out of this saltbox in the Greenwood. Otherwise I'll have a Chicago rental too.The rentals will be good because so many people that are getting foreclosed on will need them. Checking,savings,money markets are all safe in banks but those moneymarket mutual funds are not. There's very helpful info in the times today with websites to check your accts. Bear Stearns was considered one of the strongest in the world. Jeez, who didn't spend at least one summer in high school as a runner at the Board of Trade or the Mercantile Exchange in the 60's or 70's for Bear Stearns or one of those big financial firms? You polish and german coppers better call all your elderly relatives and make sure they're not bringing hundreds of thousands of dollars home and stuffing their mattresses. That old war mentality. You know? Seriously.

Nationalism is a political movement theory that states that people who have a common idea or ethinicity should come together to form a commmon on bond ONE VOICe for the good of the nation.

American Conservatism is based upon Nationalist ideas such as patriotism,closing of the borders, having 1 official language English,1 official religion Christianity. These are just a few examples.

The reason that American Consevatism is deeply stoked with these ideas is that many Dixiecrats left the Democratic partty during the 70's and joined the Republican party after Nixon implemented his Southern Strategy.Which after further review of this plan never helped because most if not all Southern states still have the highest taxes per income capita, worst poverty rates, the highest infant mortality rates and the worst living conditions of any democratic controlled state.

Some fomrer versions of nationalism would be the Strom Thrumonds Dixiecrats of 1948 or the Black Nationlist Movemnet Party of the 60's. The extreme vresion of Nationalism would Nazi Germany,Bosnia of the 90's or South African Aprthied.

So just remember the Democrats will always keep the blacks down by saying "it's not your fault your broke it's racism and the hateful government is what's hurting you." And Republicans will always keep the whites down by saying it's "reverse racism aaffirmitive action, immigation is hurting you". It's all BULSHIT

The republicans don't give of damn about your blue collar working ass and the Democrats don't give a damn about your link card carrying ass. As long as they are making their money through pacs, earmarks, and lobbyist their jobs are done. And when they finish making their little speeches about what's wrong with America they will both be laughing their asses off to the bank aram in arm.

Lies of freedom! If the democrats would of rid us of Bin Laden when Clinton was in office, and when he had the chance, we would of never been under attack on Sept. 11th. Nothing has happened in this country since Sept. 11th because of Bush. Put a Democrat in office again and we'll be hit again guaranteed...................Yeah,and if Reagen and Bush Daddy hadn't armed and financed the Afghan "freedom fighters"against the Russians there would have been no al-Quaeda.History doesn't start where you say it does little sparky.

TO 3/17/08/ 11;11AM , GO F-CK YOURSELF, YOU MUST BE AN IDIOT AND LIVE IN THE 11TH WARD, MUST BE CANARYVILLE. MY FATHER WHO IS A RETIRED INSURANCE AGENT ( KOREAN WAR VET TOO) LIVES IN NAPERVILLE. THE CAR I BOUGHT IN NAPERVILLE HAS MY FATHER AS THE REGISTERED OWNER, AND I AM JUST THE DRIVER. THE INSURANCE IS ALSO REGISTERED IN NAPERVILLE. SO STUPID I DID NOT PAY THE CHICAHO SALES TAX AND THE INSURANCE IS ALSO CHEAPER. NOW GO BACK TO BAR ON 35 STREET AND GET DRUNK.

"Please stop the blood for oil bullshit too will ya, it's way overdrawn already, if we were paying 1.00 a gallon i'd buy the argument, not when it has done nothing but go up since the war started; blame the holders of the oil reserves who choose to hold back production so the price stays high, they know the well is going to run dry and they are going to bleed every last penny from that treasure trough.

3/18/2008 03:16:00 AM"

And what about the argument that the war IS about oil, albeit about keeping the price of oil as high as possible, with the chaos in Iraq reducing the world's supply of oil even more than when Saddam was in charge of Iraq?

We didn't purchase crude from Iraq, but many other countries did, in spite of the embargo, and the production of Iraqi oil being removed from the world market has resulted in $100+ a barrel crude, exactly the opposite of the 'stabilizing' effect that the Bush administration was touting as part of their reasons for invading Iraq in the first place.

Please stop the blood for oil bullshit too will ya, it's way overdrawn already, if we were paying 1.00 a gallon i'd buy the argument,

Little boy you are such a fool, The oil company's(Exxon) made a record profit of more then 50 Billion in 2007. Remember the meetings with congress?????. yet we are in a recession. Join me become an independent think for yourself. Made government accountable. WE THE PEOPLE

Using www.AIER.org ( under Research then to cost-of-living calculator) a good approximation of $5 in 1980 is equal to $12.58 in 2007 dollars and $25 in 2001 dollars is roughly equal to $29.26 in 2007 dollars.

Little boy you are such a fool, The oil company's(Exxon) made a record profit of more then 50 Billion in 2007. Remember the meetings with congress?????. yet we are in a recession. Join me become an independent think for yourself. Made government accountable. WE THE PEOPLE

3/18/2008 10:27:00 PM

*******************A mere drop in the bucket to the illegal drug trade of $500 billion annual earnings.

Little boy you are such a fool, The oil company's(Exxon) made a record profit of more then 50 Billion in 2007. Remember the meetings with congress?????. yet we are in a recession. Join me become an independent think for yourself. Made government accountable. WE THE PEOPLE

Caution!!!!!!!!!!!!!If you plan on leasing a Chicago registered car for personal use.. .look out NOT only DO YOU PAY a ripoff sales tax of 9.25 % you also pay a CHICAGO lease tax of 8 %. Yes sir ..17.25 % tax for leasing a car in ChicagoNo wonder I only shop In Will County and in Indiana ,,Thanks CRook County and Ritchie !!!

"Please stop the blood for oil bullshit too will ya, it's way overdrawn already, if we were paying 1.00 a gallon i'd buy the argument,

Little boy you are such a fool, The oil company's(Exxon) made a record profit of more then 50 Billion in 2007. Remember the meetings with congress?????. yet we are in a recession. Join me become an independent think for yourself. Made government accountable. WE THE PEOPLE"

Something that people seem to forget about Iraq. Before the Iraq war, Iraq sold oil to other countries. Now that oil is not being traded out of Iraq, this has inflated the demand. Now the countries that got it's oil from Iraq must now get from someplace else. This has essentially placed a huge burden on the demand. In 1999 the price of oil was $16.56 now it's over $100!!!! Something is wrong with this picture.

"A mere drop in the bucket to the illegal drug trade of $500 billion annual earnings.

3/19/2008 09:16:00 AM"

So, now do we all understand the real reason certain 'substances' are illegal?

And many other 'substances' are controlled through the 'by prescription only' monopoly enjoyed by the pharmaceutical and psychiatric industries?

And why 'self medication' is so strongly and relentlessly discouraged by so much persuasive propaganda?

And why those profiting the most from the general population's ignorance of basic health, human biology, physiology, metabolism and chemistry are so active in perpetuating the myth that only the 'highly intelligent' and 'college educated' could possibly understand the above subjects?

The Internet is a wonderful source of knowledge and the solution to the problem of 'a little knowledge is a dangerous thing'.

Educate yourselves, and you won't need to wonder why you won't need most of that prohibitively expensive 'health insurance'.